WINTER PARK, Fla. – Brandeis University baseball rookie DH Ryan Pocock (Westford, Mass./Westford) hit a grand slam in his third collegiate plate appearance, but it wasn't enough as the host Warner (Fla.) University Royals scored a tie-breaking run in the bottom of the eighth inning to take an 8-7 victory in the Judges' 2015 season opener.
Brandeis opened the scoring in the second without a hit. Sophomore catcher Connor Doyle (Avon, Conn/Avon Old Farms) reached on an error, and pinch-runner Ryan Tettemer (Westfield, Mass./Suffield Acad.) stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield groundout by senior Rob Trenk (West Orange, N.J./West Orange).
Warner took the lead in the bottom of the inning with two unearned runs, courtesy of a balk with runners on the corners and fielder's choice two batters later.
The Royals exploded for four runs in the fourth inning, when Jose Quintana, Chase Coon and Randy Rodriguez hit back-to-back-back doubles to take a 6-1 lead.
The Judges responded in the top of the fifth with one out. Rookie SS Nick Falkson (Dedham, Mass./Thayer Acad.) walked, while senior RF Tom McCarthy (Yonkers, N.Y./Fieldston School) and senior 1B Kyle Brenner (Brookfield, Mass./St. Peter Marian) each singled. That brought up Pocock, who blasted his first collegiate homer to get the Judges within 6-5. Sophomore Greg Heineman (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) kept up the momentum by drawing a walk, and Doyle, who hit into a fielder's choice, scored on a triple by Tettemer.
Warner went back on top in the bottom of fifth by taking advantage of a two-out error, but a one-out single by Doyle in the top of the seventh plated Pocock with an unearned run to knot the game at 7-7.
The Royals won the game in the bottom of the eighth when Rodriguez led off with a double and scored two batters later on a two-bagger from Anthony Dovale. The Judges put a runner on in the top of the ninth when Pocock reached on another error, but the Royals' close induced a double play to end the game.
Pocock had a fine initial game, going 1-for-4 with his grand slam, two runs scored and four RBI. He also tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief in the fifth and sixth frames. Brenner and junior CF Liam O'Connor (Avon, Conn./Avon) each had two hits for the Judges.
On the hill, senior Zach Bardwell (No. Andover, Mass./Central Catholic School) got the start and made his first appearance in two years after missing his junior season to injury. He tossed three innings of four-hit ball, with no walks or strikeouts. Rookie Justin Gallanty (Westport, Conn./Staples) suffered the loss in relief with two innings of work, striking out two, but allowing three hits and one run.
The Judges are back in action over the next two days with three games against St. Joseph's College of Brooklyn.